The Politics of Borders: Sovereignty, Security, and the Citizen after 9/11

Longo, an assistant political science professor at Leiden University, delivers a comprehensive study of the politics surrounding borders and border patrols, focusing on the technological advancement of and conceptual changes to security measures since 9/11. Writing about how data-sharing and biometric methods are used to surveil citizens at border crossings, he asserts that “data has finally collapsed the boundary between state and subject to the point where the subject is internally invaded.” The book’s in-depth analysis involves a blend of political theory—including analyses of the work of Michel Foucault and Hannah Arendt—and interviews with border security workers across the U.S. The book also examines modern border patrol strategies around the globe, including in South Africa and the European Union. Longo’s tone is urgent throughout, as when he writes, “This is not simply a question of citizenship and sovereignty, but at core, the future of human rights protection in a data-centric world.” Longo outlines possible solutions as well as current problems, stressing the growing necessity of “cross-border cooperation” between the U.S. and Canada as well as between the U.S. and Mexico, and proposing that neighboring countries create “collaborative zones” to accommodate migrants and refugees seeking safety. Longo’s debut, complex and impressive in its scope, signals the emergence of an important political theorist. (Nov.)